Rotary engine.



W. T. BENNETT.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1911v RENEWED JAN. 6, 1912.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

L T E B H 3 S T E E H S 2 0 a M. Q W7 R m M V I w PLANOGRAPl-l (10.,WASHINGTON, D. c.

W. T. BENNETT.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.21,1911. RENEWED JAN. 6, 1912.

1,018 737. Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. .7;

3 D.'HI D UNITE SAES PATENT OFFICE.

. ROTARY ENGINE.

Application filed January 21, 1911, Serial No. 603,912. Renewed January6, 1912.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2'7, 1912.

Serial No. 669,908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM THOMAS I BENNETT, of the town of Sunderland,in the county of Ontario, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Steam- Engines,of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary steam engines and theobject of the invention is to devise a rotary engine in whichpractically all friction will be eliminated in the cylinder and pistonsin their rotations and in which all the working parts are steam packedand consequently prevent leakage of steam and it consists essentially ofa cylinder provided with heads at each end thereof rotatably mounted insuitable bearings, a hollow shaft extending eccentrically through thebearings and through 'the cylinder and having steam ports thereinlocated within the cylinder, a rotor mounted on the eccentric hollowshaft and provided with steam passages extending from the hollow shafton which the rotor is mounted to the outer periphery of the rotor, acylinder valve located within the hollow shaft and provided with steamports designed to be brought to register with the steam ports of theshaft, winged pistons held at one end within the rotor and at theopposlte end in the wall of the cylinder and an exhaust valve located inone of the heads of the cylinder and means for operating the exhaust andinlet valves in unison when it is desired to reverse the engine, theparts being arranged and constructed in detail as hereinafter moreparticularly described by the following specification.

Figure 1 is a general perspective view of my engine partially brokenaway and in section. Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section through theengine. Fig. 3, is a cross section through the engine cylinder androtor. Fig. 4, is a similar view to Fig. 8 showing the wing pistons inthe position adjacent to the point of the inlet and exhaust. Fig. 5, isa cross sectional View on line 0c3 Fig. 2. Fig. 6, is a perspectivedetail of the movable member of the exhaust valve looking from theopposite side to that shown in Fig. 5.

I Fig. 7, is a perspective detail of the stationary member of theexhaust valve. Fig. 8, is a perspective detail of the cylindrical inletvalve. Fig. 9 is a view of the disk J".

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding partsin each figure.

A is the base plate of the engine provided with standards A and A Thestandard A is provided with an inwardly extending stud A having alongitudinal bore A ex tending eccentrically therethrough.

B is a cylinder provided with heads B and B suitably secured to thecylinder B.

C is the main driving shaft extending through the bearing standard A Thehead B of the cylinder B is rotatably mounted on the stud A and the headB is mounted on the driving shaft C and keyed or otherwise suitablysecured thereto. The head B is provided wit-h a recess B in which isheld a bushing B also provided with an eccentric bore B axially oppositethe bore A of the stud A D is a hollow shaft extending through the boresA and A at each end and through the cylinder casing. The hollow shaft Dis provided with ports D and D E is the rotor mounted upon the hollowshaft D and provided with steam passages E and E E and E (the steampassages E and E being particularly shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3)extending from the surface of the hollow shaft D to the outer peripheryof the rotor E. The passages are preferably curved in form as shown sothat the force of the steam admission will serve to aid in driving theengine.

F and F are wing pistons held at one end in the slots H in the rockingmembers H held within cylindrical recesses E formed in the rotor E. Theopposite end of the wing pistons are provided with cylindrical cesses Bformed in the cylinder B.

I is the inlet valve which is of cylindrical form and having a closedend I and ports I and I The outer end of the inlet valve I is providedwith openings Itand I and stem I extending centrally through the outerend of the hollow shaft D and the bore A of the stud A The outer end ofportions F fitting within cylindrical rethe hollow shaft D is providedwith a T- pipe D for the admission of steam into the engine. The arm Dof the pipe D is provided with a cap or bushing D through which the endof the stem I extends. The head B is provided with a recess B having asupplemental central recess B J is a stationary member of the exhaustvalve comprising the annular portion J having segmental flanges J 2 andJ 3 extending therefrom and forming peripheral ports J and J Theopposite face of the annular portion J is provided with an annularflange forming a sleeve J 6 having a supplemental annular flange J 7extending around the internal periphery of the flange J G at its outerend. As will be seen from Fig. 2 the portions J J 2 and J 3 fit withinthe recess B and the portions J G and J T within the recess B K is themovable member of the exhaust valve comprising a central hub K and wingsK and K K is an arc-shaped slot formed in a hub K. The wing K isprovided with an areshaped rib K having a central tooth-like projectionK as will be seen particularly on referring to Fig. '5.

The member K fits within the flanges J 2 and J of the member J and isrotatable therein so as to close either the port J 4 or the port J L isthe inlet and exhaust valve operating lever (see Fig. 1) secured at itslower end to the rocking rod L extending through stud A to the exhaustpassage 2.

L is a fork secured to the inner end of the rod L. The fork L extendsdown through the passage 2 into the recess formed by the flange K andengages with the tooth-like projections K.

3 is a passage leading from the passage 2 into a hollow bearing cap L"provided with openings L communicating with the atmosphere.

To operate the inlet valve I provide an arm M secured to the stem I. Thearm M is provided with a link M connecting the arm with the operatinglever L.

J is a disk suitably secured to the stationary member J of the exhaustvalve. The disk J is provided with ports J and J 9 communicating betweenthe ports J 4 and J and the interior of the cylinder.

Having described the principal parts involved in my invention I willbriefly describe the operation of the same.

Steam is admitted through the pipe D into the hollow shaft D and passesthrough the openings I and I into the valve I. The steam passes from thevalve I through the ports I and D and through the passages E and E intothe cylinder. The steam expanding in the space behind the piston Fserves (see Fig. 4) to rotate the rotor and the casing, the casingrevolving concentrically around the hollow shaft D and rotoreccentrically to the shaft D. As the piston F passes the port J 9 thesteam exhausts through the port J the port J and passes behind the wingK through the arc-shaped slot K to the passage way 2 leading into thepassage-way 3 passing through the stud A to the atmosphere.

It will be noticed on referring to Figs. 3 and 4 that the member H has arocking motion within the cylindrical bore E of the rotor so as tocompensate for the change in relation between the rotor and the cylinderas they revolve.

When it is desired to reverse the engine all that it is necessary to dois to throw the lever L over so that the ports I and D register and arein communication with the passage-ways E and E as the rotor revolvesaround the hollow shaft. Simultaneously with this adjustment the exhaustvalve is thrown into the reverse position by means of the rod L and thefork L engaging the tooth like projection K thereby rocking the valvemember K and thereby opening the port J 4 and closing the port J Theexhaust steam will then pass through the port J 8 of the disk 17 and theport J to the atmosphere.

From this description it will be seen that I have devised an enginewhich will practically eliminate all friction between the rotor and thecasing as in my device both the rotor and the casing revolve and therebyprevent any such friction taking place. It will also be seen that allthe parts are steam packed and thereby preventing any leakage of steam.

l/Vhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylinder provided withsuitable heads rotatably mounted on suitable bearings and a drivingshaft connected to one of the heads, of a shaft extending eccentricallythrough the cylinder, a rotor loosely mounted upon the eccentric shaft,wing pistons, slotted drum members held within the rotor and designed toreceive the inner ends of the wing pistons and a hinged connectionbetween the outer end of the winged pistons and the wall of thecylinder, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylindrical casinghaving cylindrical recesses in the periphery thereof provided withsuitable heads mounted on suitable bearings, of a shaft extendingeccentrically through the bearings of the cylinder, a rotor looselymounted thereon having cylindrical recesses extending through theperiphery thereof, slotted rocking members fitting within the recesses,wing pistons held within the slots of the rocking members and providedwith cylindrical outer ends fitting correspondingly formed re cesses inthe wall of the cylinder, and means for admitting steam toand exhaustingsteam from the cylinder, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylindrical casingmounted on suitable bearings having suitable exhaust ports, of a hollowshaft extending eccentrically through the bearings and through thecylinder and having a closed inner end and steam ports extending throughthe periphery thereof, a cylindrical valve fitting Within the hollowshaft and provided with ports designed to be brought to register withthe ports of the hollow shaft, a rotor mounted upon the eccentric shaftand having steam passages extending substantially radially from thesurface of the hollow shaft to the periphery of the rotor, and wingpistons connected to the rotor and to the wall of cylinder, as and forthe purpose specified.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylinder mounted onsuitable bearings and provided with exhaust ports, of a hollow shaftextending through the bearings and through the cylinder and providedwith ports in the periphery thereof, a cylindrical valve fitting withinthe hollow shaft and provided with a closed inner end and portsregistering with the ports of the hollow shaft, a stem ext-ending fromthe cylindrical valve through the end of the hollow shaft, an operatinglever therefor, a steam pipe connected to the hollow shaft, a rotormounted on the hollow shaft and provided with substantially radialpassages extending from the surfaces of the hollow shaft to the outerperiphery of the rotor, as and for the purpose specified.

In a device of the class described, the combination with the cylinderhaving a recessed head, a bearing for the cylinder hav ing an exhaustpassage therein, a stationary disk member supported within the recess ofthe head and provided with ports communicating with the exhaust passagein the cylinder bearing and a rocking disk member co-acting with thestationary disk member to open and close the ports, as and for thepurpose specified.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with the enginecylinder supported upon suitable bearings and provided with a recessedhead at one end, a disk fitting into the recess of the head and providedwith ports communicating with the engine cylinder at each side, astationary disk fitting within the recess at the back of the aforesaiddisk and provided with segmental flanges forming ports registering withthe aforesaid ports communicating with the cylrecess to the cylinder, a

inder, a rocking member fitting within the segmental flanges anddesigned to open and close the ports formed by the flanges, and meansfor rocking the member, as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a device of the class describechthe combination with the cylinderprovided with a recessed head, a bearing stud provided with exhaustpassages extending longitudinally therethrough, a partition formed inthe head between the recess and the cylinder and having exhaust portscommunicating between the recess and the cylinder, a segmental wingedrocking member designed to open and close the ports and means forrocking the same so as to bring either one port or the other intocommunication with the exhaust passage, as and for the purposespecified.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with the cylinderhaving a recessed head provided with a partition extending between therecess and the cylinder and having exhaust ports leading from the studbearing for the cylinder having an exhaust passage communicating withthe recess formed in the head, an annular disk member having segmentalperipheral flanges forming ports registering with the ports of thepartition, a rocking member provided with upper and lower segmental wingportions fitting within the segmental flanges of the annular diskmember, the lower wing portion being provided with a peripheral flangehaving a tooth-like inwardly extending projection, a rocking rodextending through the bearing of the cylinder provided at one end with afork engaging the tooth-like projection and at the other end with anoperating lever, as and for the purpose specified.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with the cylinderprovided with a suitable recessed head, of a stud bearing upon which therecessed head is mounted, a longitudinal exhaust passage communicatingwith the recess in the head, a stationary annular disk member secured tothe stud and provided with segmental flanges forming peripheral ports, astationary partition connected to such member and provided with portscommunicating with the cylinder and registering with the said peripheralports, a rocking member journaled on the stud and provided withsegmental flange members extending between the partition and the annulardisk so as to alternately open and close the ports, and means forrocking the disk as and for the purpose specified.

10. In a rotary engine, a cylinder provided with suitable heads, abearing standard provided with a stud extending through from one of theheads of the cylinder, a

bushing located in a recess formed in the other head of the cylinder, ashaft extending eccentrieally through the stud, the cylinder and thebushing, a rotor mounted on 5 the shaft, wings connected at one end tothe rotor and at the other end to the Wall of the cylinder, and meansfor admitting and exhausting steam from the cylinder as and for thepurpose specified.

WM. THOMAS BENNETT.

Witnesses G. C. BEALL, JOHN L. GORDON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D; 0.?

